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Bi-Directional Satellite Internet: Using Starband®
This is a "user experiences" presentation which discusses using Starband® to obtain broadband
internet connectivity in remote locations where other options (such as xDSL or Cable) are not available.
Earlier versions of this presentation were given to the
Redwood Technology Consortium in Humboldt
County, and to the SHARE Inc. Summer 2003
Conference in Washington, D.C.
Bi-Directional Satellite Internet: Using Starband®
Information Technology Standards: What Are They? Why Should I Care?
Ever wonder what IT standards are? Curious as to why you should care about
them and how they can impact your organization's infrastructure and
applications? This presentation discusses the role standards play in IT futures, why
standards sometimes conflict and why you should be interested in the
various IT standards activities, together with some hints and tips
on becoming involved in setting the future directions of IT.
This presentation was developed for and given
to the SHARE Inc. Summer 2003
Conference in Washington, D.C. Dave Thewlis, the Principal
of DCTA Inc., has been active in IT standardization for more than
a decade, and from 2000-2002 served as the Chief Standards
Officer for SHARE. Dave received SHARE's Distinguished
Service Award for his service as Chief Standards Officer
in August of 2003.
Information Technology Standards
The Future of System/390: Successes, Threats and Remedies
This paper, based in part on data from the System/390 Needs and Competencies Survey
recently conducted by DCTA, discusses the current successes and future threats to
the System/390 computing platform. Despite predictions to the contrary, System/390
servers are more popular than ever before and their use in new business endeavors such as e-Business is growing.
The real threat to the S/390's continued success is the gradual loss of S/390-qualified IT personnel
and the lack of new computer science graduates who understand large-scale production computing
environments and issues. The magnitude and effect of this problem is considered and some potential
remedies are suggested.
The Future of System/390
Report on the System/390 Needs and Competencies Survey
This presentation reviews the survey which was conducted in mid-1999 by DCTA, Inc.
and presents findings from the survey which were used in writing The Future of
System/390 paper.
Report on the System/390 Needs and Competencies Survey
The System/390 Needs and Competencies Survey
The Five Waves of Enterprise Computing:
A call to action for Enterprises, Universities and Enterprise Computing Suppliers
This paper, written and published by John Burgoyne of Burgoyne & Associates,
is a companion paper to The Future of System/390 (see above) but approaches the issue
from a different perspective. It assesses the successive "waves of change" that have transformed enterprise computing
again and again over the last thirty-five years, and looks at the effect of the current
Fifth Wave (the e-business era) and its significance and effects on the enterprises, universities
and mainframe industry suppliers. The paper concludes that concerted and effective action is
needed between all three to ensure the continued reliability and viability of enterprise systems
in the broadest sense.
The Five Waves of Enterprise Computing
Aspects of Computer Education and S/390
This paper discusses computer education and especially computer science
curricula as they relate to large-scale commercial computing (e.g. the
IBM S/390 Enterprise Server), and suggests areas where substantial
improvement is necessary. The underlying premise is that computer
science curricula and other computer and information technology
offerings available via academic institutions today are largely
theoretical and/or focused on desktop or confined computing models.
While these curricula are excellent in the preparation of computer
scientists they are neither intended for nor terribly successful at
preparing students whose goal is to enter the workforce after graduation
rather than go on to postgraduate studies. The paper does not argue that
computer science curricula are wrong, simply that they are incomplete for
the goals of many students, and suggests areas in which improvements might
be made.
Aspects of Computer Education and S/390
Mainframes as Entry Systems
This report discusses the System/390 platform, architecture and
capabilities with particular focus on the potential customer who has
never before acquired a "mainframe" computer. Such customers may be
entering a new business area; contemplating the expansion of existing
business areas; or interested in consolidating existing work to
achieve economies of scale and greater management control. Some
particular focus is paid to customers in emerging marketplaces and
countries and the appropriateness of the S/390 solution in those
environments.
Mainframes as Entry Systems
Collaborative Computing in Standards Development
This paper was researched, developed and written for
ISO/IEC JTC 1, the international
standards body for information technology standards. Its purpose
was to examine the
requirements for and characteristics of future collaborative computing
approaches to the development and deployment of standards and related
materials, but it also serves as a good overview of the subject for
anyone interested in understanding the issues, requirements and
capabilities of an effective collaborative computing solution.
The paper reviews existing approaches, both traditional and
electronic, and briefly considers their characteristics and limitations,
primarily to expose the set of requirements which any effective approach
towards standards development must satisfy. The requirements for a
collaborative computing approach are examined in terms of general needs,
technical needs, human needs, and finally the needs of the standards
bodies themselves. While the paper was written over two years ago, the
state of the art in collaborative computing capabilities, especially in
standards-based and web-based solutions, has not substantially changed,
and the paper remains a reasonably good assessment.
Collaborative Computing in Standards Development
